One More Time
Monday, December 31, 2007
"The habit of looking on the best side of every event is worth more than a thousand pounds a year. "- Samuel Johnson
What does everyone do for the end of the year? Well, I'm going to write a letter to myself.
Dear Gina,
It's the last day of the year. You were in your hometown in Mississippi. You had just finished your fourth semester at school--the classes you had were Dr. M's Faulkner/Morrison class, Dr. M's Senior Seminar, Dr. F's Spanish History class, and Ms. S's Creative Writing class. You did that play, "Spring Awakening" where you played Frau Gabor, and you froze that Thursday night, but was flawless the other performances. Funny how you could still quote the lines now that you couldn't get in your head before, huh!
You got an A, an A-, a B, and two B-'s. All were deserved--you probably should have gotten worse on the B-'s--but you made it through. You are coming to the last semester at this swanky college, and you still have your brain. You are trying to decide when you are going to take your GRE, what you want to get your Master's in (you have been mulling between English and Library Science) and you decided to become more active in voluteering when you can. You (you silly girl) decided to take a full load instead of one class and live off campus somewhere. There is so much you want to do this last semester. You are terrified about comprehensive exams--remember, you brought two boxes of books home you wanted to go through over break? How did that work out for you?--and what is next after you graduate.
You are single and really don't want to mingle. You've still got some self-esteem issues you've got to face. You still grieve for your mama, just not as badly or as often. That's really not a bad thing. One thing you have resolved to do is to push your limits, not let the lazy nemesis that you have inside do you in and make you not do the things you strive to do. You weigh 190, and you hate taking pictures, because they are not what you see in the mirror, or how you feel. But then you are feeling a little older, a little slower to get out of bed, a little stiffer in your walk, but deep down inside, you are a vibrant and happy person.
So I wrote this letter to you in hopes that you will see what you have accomplished and what you did with yourself by this day in 2008. Hopefully you will find the companion that you truly deserve in the friend that you have, and you will be able to say that the one person that has been in your life for so long will either be much closer or gone. Goodness knows this limbo thing is just stupid. I wish you the dreams that will make you happy. No more living on the edge of life. Stop letting fear inhabit the space of courage in your soul. Get smarter if not thinner.
This journey has not ended, my darling Gina. It continues every day. It is your choice to pick a lane and drive or continue to be in the rest area. The one with the bad, cheap vending machine with overpriced pops and bathrooms where you have to roll the toilet tissue off the roll because it will only allow you to pull three squares at a time. Yeah, that rest area. Get on the highway and drive!!!!
Love and yours forever and ever,
Gina
P.S. You are my number one fan and I love you. Dream big, write bigger, and find joy!
What does everyone do for the end of the year? Well, I'm going to write a letter to myself.
Dear Gina,
It's the last day of the year. You were in your hometown in Mississippi. You had just finished your fourth semester at school--the classes you had were Dr. M's Faulkner/Morrison class, Dr. M's Senior Seminar, Dr. F's Spanish History class, and Ms. S's Creative Writing class. You did that play, "Spring Awakening" where you played Frau Gabor, and you froze that Thursday night, but was flawless the other performances. Funny how you could still quote the lines now that you couldn't get in your head before, huh!
You got an A, an A-, a B, and two B-'s. All were deserved--you probably should have gotten worse on the B-'s--but you made it through. You are coming to the last semester at this swanky college, and you still have your brain. You are trying to decide when you are going to take your GRE, what you want to get your Master's in (you have been mulling between English and Library Science) and you decided to become more active in voluteering when you can. You (you silly girl) decided to take a full load instead of one class and live off campus somewhere. There is so much you want to do this last semester. You are terrified about comprehensive exams--remember, you brought two boxes of books home you wanted to go through over break? How did that work out for you?--and what is next after you graduate.
You are single and really don't want to mingle. You've still got some self-esteem issues you've got to face. You still grieve for your mama, just not as badly or as often. That's really not a bad thing. One thing you have resolved to do is to push your limits, not let the lazy nemesis that you have inside do you in and make you not do the things you strive to do. You weigh 190, and you hate taking pictures, because they are not what you see in the mirror, or how you feel. But then you are feeling a little older, a little slower to get out of bed, a little stiffer in your walk, but deep down inside, you are a vibrant and happy person.
So I wrote this letter to you in hopes that you will see what you have accomplished and what you did with yourself by this day in 2008. Hopefully you will find the companion that you truly deserve in the friend that you have, and you will be able to say that the one person that has been in your life for so long will either be much closer or gone. Goodness knows this limbo thing is just stupid. I wish you the dreams that will make you happy. No more living on the edge of life. Stop letting fear inhabit the space of courage in your soul. Get smarter if not thinner.
This journey has not ended, my darling Gina. It continues every day. It is your choice to pick a lane and drive or continue to be in the rest area. The one with the bad, cheap vending machine with overpriced pops and bathrooms where you have to roll the toilet tissue off the roll because it will only allow you to pull three squares at a time. Yeah, that rest area. Get on the highway and drive!!!!
Love and yours forever and ever,
Gina
P.S. You are my number one fan and I love you. Dream big, write bigger, and find joy!
Labels: It Really Happened, New Year's Eve letter, Thoughts
On Hiatus Again
Thursday, December 20, 2007
"I'm astounded by people who want to 'know' the universe when it's hard enough to find your way around Chinatown."- Woody Allen
I'm not sure that I'm going to get my internet hooked up at home or not, but today I'm going to my extremely small town for a few weeks. I may go up to the library to blog, but don't bet the farm on it.
I've had random thoughts go in and out of my head lately, and I'm not sure why I never think to write them down. Some of them are funny--to me, at least, and really, isn't that what really matters? Memememememe!--and some make me grumble. For example, if everyone would be nice and let other people get in front of them on a regular basis, traffic driving would be so much simpler and kinder. Oh yeah! Would you believe a traffic jam at a mall? Don't people have the internet? Just do some HSN shopping or something already! Geez!
Okay, I'm done for now. Oh, let me tell you something else. I called my father to wish him happy birthday. He called me back and sounded like he was doing better. Grumble, grumble. I just decided to not push him about some of the things that were stressing him like his business and his health. He told me that he was getting numbness in the feet (he's diabetic), and I'm really sorry to hear that. I'm inspired to go on a edamame and grapefruit diet because of it. I'll tell you about my heart (physically, that is) when I get around to it, or is that a round tuit?
I'm not sure that I'm going to get my internet hooked up at home or not, but today I'm going to my extremely small town for a few weeks. I may go up to the library to blog, but don't bet the farm on it.
I've had random thoughts go in and out of my head lately, and I'm not sure why I never think to write them down. Some of them are funny--to me, at least, and really, isn't that what really matters? Memememememe!--and some make me grumble. For example, if everyone would be nice and let other people get in front of them on a regular basis, traffic driving would be so much simpler and kinder. Oh yeah! Would you believe a traffic jam at a mall? Don't people have the internet? Just do some HSN shopping or something already! Geez!
Okay, I'm done for now. Oh, let me tell you something else. I called my father to wish him happy birthday. He called me back and sounded like he was doing better. Grumble, grumble. I just decided to not push him about some of the things that were stressing him like his business and his health. He told me that he was getting numbness in the feet (he's diabetic), and I'm really sorry to hear that. I'm inspired to go on a edamame and grapefruit diet because of it. I'll tell you about my heart (physically, that is) when I get around to it, or is that a round tuit?
Labels: It Really Happened
A Daily OM Dose of Thought
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
"It is discouraging how many people are shocked by honesty and how few by deceit."- Noël Coward
Shining Through the Clouds
Grumps
When we’re in a good mood, we shine like the sun. But if we find ourselves in the presence of a person, or people, in a grumpy mood, it can feel like a dark cloud approaching to dim our radiance and block our positive way of seeing the world. We can remind ourselves that clouds pass, while the sun and stars continue to shine above. Then it’s easier to think of these “grumps” affectionately, knowing that they only have the power to affect our mood if we allow it. With the power of change firmly in our hands, we can choose how to respond to a grumpy person, or a grumbling group of people, with confidence and understanding.
Like a lighthouse, we can continue to shine through the darkness, offering our light to help others find their way back to their own. We can send them a silent prayer of peace or a sympathetic smile. We may sense that reaching out to offer a comforting touch or hug can ease their frustrations and cause the clouds to dissipate. If they need understanding, we can sympathize without reinforcing the negativity they may be experiencing by directing their attention someplace more positive. Helping them find the humor in their situation might be appropriate and is a great way to lift spirits, or a logical approach may help them see all the good in the situation, in their lives and in the world.
We might find that someone we encounter often seems to be in a perpetual state of gloom. Our tendency in such cases may be to try to avoid them, but instead we can make the choice to offer support that comes from the heart. We may be inspired to ask if they would like some help or to offer suggestions that have helped us in the past. We can include thoughts of their health and happiness in our times of prayer and meditation. When we lend our energy to uplift another in any way, we improve our own lives while making the world a better place for all of us.
What do you think?
Shining Through the Clouds
Grumps
When we’re in a good mood, we shine like the sun. But if we find ourselves in the presence of a person, or people, in a grumpy mood, it can feel like a dark cloud approaching to dim our radiance and block our positive way of seeing the world. We can remind ourselves that clouds pass, while the sun and stars continue to shine above. Then it’s easier to think of these “grumps” affectionately, knowing that they only have the power to affect our mood if we allow it. With the power of change firmly in our hands, we can choose how to respond to a grumpy person, or a grumbling group of people, with confidence and understanding.
Like a lighthouse, we can continue to shine through the darkness, offering our light to help others find their way back to their own. We can send them a silent prayer of peace or a sympathetic smile. We may sense that reaching out to offer a comforting touch or hug can ease their frustrations and cause the clouds to dissipate. If they need understanding, we can sympathize without reinforcing the negativity they may be experiencing by directing their attention someplace more positive. Helping them find the humor in their situation might be appropriate and is a great way to lift spirits, or a logical approach may help them see all the good in the situation, in their lives and in the world.
We might find that someone we encounter often seems to be in a perpetual state of gloom. Our tendency in such cases may be to try to avoid them, but instead we can make the choice to offer support that comes from the heart. We may be inspired to ask if they would like some help or to offer suggestions that have helped us in the past. We can include thoughts of their health and happiness in our times of prayer and meditation. When we lend our energy to uplift another in any way, we improve our own lives while making the world a better place for all of us.
What do you think?
Labels: Daily OM
Ten Things This Tuesday (NUMBER 350 FOR ME!!!!!!!!)
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
"If I read a book and it makes my whole body so cold no fire can ever warm me, I know that is poetry."- Emily Dickinson
Ladies and gentlemen (yes, all five of us), I would like to kindly inform you that I have made it through to 350 posts! Yippee!!!!!!
After I get back to school, I'm going to do something educational, and hopefully interesting. At least it is going to be educational and helpful to me and phooey to you if you don't enjoy it. I would tell you that you better like it, dad gum it (family blog, people--no hard core cursing typed here. Heh...)! If you are not interested as I must be for my future as an educated English freak, then uhmmm....like I said, Phooey on you and rasberries in your face, even!
Enough about that. All of you family people have so much stuff to do for the holidays. Well, my unmarried, childless butt has got news for you. Ten things I'm going to do over the holidays and you wish you could do, but you have families and company and guests and children and stuff!
1. Walk around stark nekkid. Yup. I might not even wear houseshoes or footies.
2. Watch "It's a Wonderful Life" 17 times in one day. You know you want to. I can watch it uninterrupted, too!
3. Have take out for Christmas dinner.
4. Sleep late because nobody is waiting for Santa to drop a load before opening presents.
5. Make white hot chocolate with all the nutmeg I want in it. You know you want the recipe. If you ask really nicely, I might tell you.
6. Not make up my bed.
7. Shower and know that there will be hot water.
8. Drink out of my milk jug. No, I don't do that. Well, okay, I do, but only when I'm going to drain it. I swear!
9. Sit down and read a good book while listening to Christmas music. In actuality, I will be studying for my comprehensive exams. No real pleasure in that. If you want to know what my final short list ended up being, ask me, and I'll tell you.
10. Go to the bathroom with the bathroom door open. Yup. I do that sometimes. In the middle of the night. When nobody's around. Just in case someone knocks on the door or something. Okay! Okay! Sometimes I don't close it first thing in the morning either, but that is as far as I'm admitting to!
Ladies and gentlemen (yes, all five of us), I would like to kindly inform you that I have made it through to 350 posts! Yippee!!!!!!
After I get back to school, I'm going to do something educational, and hopefully interesting. At least it is going to be educational and helpful to me and phooey to you if you don't enjoy it. I would tell you that you better like it, dad gum it (family blog, people--no hard core cursing typed here. Heh...)! If you are not interested as I must be for my future as an educated English freak, then uhmmm....like I said, Phooey on you and rasberries in your face, even!
Enough about that. All of you family people have so much stuff to do for the holidays. Well, my unmarried, childless butt has got news for you. Ten things I'm going to do over the holidays and you wish you could do, but you have families and company and guests and children and stuff!
1. Walk around stark nekkid. Yup. I might not even wear houseshoes or footies.
2. Watch "It's a Wonderful Life" 17 times in one day. You know you want to. I can watch it uninterrupted, too!
3. Have take out for Christmas dinner.
4. Sleep late because nobody is waiting for Santa to drop a load before opening presents.
5. Make white hot chocolate with all the nutmeg I want in it. You know you want the recipe. If you ask really nicely, I might tell you.
6. Not make up my bed.
7. Shower and know that there will be hot water.
8. Drink out of my milk jug. No, I don't do that. Well, okay, I do, but only when I'm going to drain it. I swear!
9. Sit down and read a good book while listening to Christmas music. In actuality, I will be studying for my comprehensive exams. No real pleasure in that. If you want to know what my final short list ended up being, ask me, and I'll tell you.
10. Go to the bathroom with the bathroom door open. Yup. I do that sometimes. In the middle of the night. When nobody's around. Just in case someone knocks on the door or something. Okay! Okay! Sometimes I don't close it first thing in the morning either, but that is as far as I'm admitting to!
Labels: My Opinion, Ten Things This Tuesday
Guess What?
Friday, December 14, 2007
"I learned that it is the weak who are cruel, and that gentleness is to be expected only from the strong."- Leo Rosten
I am one day away from being one semester away from graduating! I'm going to be broke, but well educated! Ha!
I'm going to do something exciting that is going to help you help me. I have to study for one more exam and write one more paper in the next six hours. After that, I'm going to draw you into my world! Of English! Mwahahahahahaha!
Labels: It Really Happened
This Is Not A Threat. I Swear!
Monday, December 10, 2007
"It is always the best policy to speak the truth, unless, of course, you are an exceptionally good liar."- Jerome K. Jerome
Well, after what seemed like a thousand years with no ISP service (the sons of nasty dogs went bankrupt "out of the blue") and another two thousand years with very slow service, my college is up and running. Not soon enough since it is our freaking exam week.
Well, after what seemed like a thousand years with no ISP service (the sons of nasty dogs went bankrupt "out of the blue") and another two thousand years with very slow service, my college is up and running. Not soon enough since it is our freaking exam week.
SCREAMING!
So, of course, this note is obviously short. Can I just say that my Creative Writing class has no sense of humor? See if you get the gist of this poem. Then I'm leaving. Senior Seminar final in the morning and I don't know what I'm going to write!
SCREAMING!
SCREAMING!
SCREAMING!
Okay, here's the poem:
Scheduled
Smile you will
or frown someday
when you don’t glance
at the clock after
you hear the quiet slam
of the door against jamb
to know who came home.
Smile you will
or sigh perhaps
when you walk
to the dining room not
because she told you, but
because you hear
the oven door close
smell melted butter
on baked yeast or meal
in her cast iron skillet.
Someday you glance,
hear who will sigh,
perhaps you
hear the door
and smell her
while you discover there are
three definitions of “funk” on page 723.
The answer to the next question is
“page 719.”
Smile you will
or frown someday
when you don’t glance
at the clock after
you hear the quiet slam
of the door against jamb
to know who came home.
Smile you will
or sigh perhaps
when you walk
to the dining room not
because she told you, but
because you hear
the oven door close
smell melted butter
on baked yeast or meal
in her cast iron skillet.
Someday you glance,
hear who will sigh,
perhaps you
hear the door
and smell her
while you discover there are
three definitions of “funk” on page 723.
The answer to the next question is
“page 719.”
Labels: Humor, It Really Happened, Poetry, Screaming